Month: May 2017

You’ve been continuously submitting resumes like Donald Trump sends tweets. Yet the responses to your applications are minimal — or nonexistent. What gives? Maybe you’re new to the workforce. Or you’ve been You’ve been continuously submitting resumes like Donald Trump sends tweets. Yet the responses to your applications are minimal — or nonexistent. What gives? Maybe you’re new to the workforce. Or you’ve been out of it for a while and feel a bit unsure about how to get your feet wet again.

These days, it’s not enough to cling to conventional basics. When it comes to the job search, you must think outside the box. But there are many ways to make and break your career prospects. And as it turns out, it’s pretty easy to derail your success just by being blatantly unaware of your mistakes. Any one of these small errors can have a big impact on your future. That’s why we’re delving into 16 ways you’re sabotaging your own job search, so you can start putting your best foot forward today.

1. You sent your resume in a Word document

Submitting your resume in a .doc format can hinder your career success. PDFs, rather than Word documents, are able to lock essential resume formatting preferences in place, even if they’re read from a phone. And let’s be honest. Who doesn’t check emails on their phones these days? In addition, PDFs can’t be edited or tampered with as they go through various email chains, which is good for your carefully crafted resume.

Recruiter Julie Zollo writes on LinkedIn she gives preferential treatment to applicants who submit a PDF resume verses a .doc resume because it suggests an extra bit of tech savvy and demonstrates a willingness to go the extra mile.

6. You’re only following your passion

Some of the most common work advice on the internet states you must “follow your passion” and “do what you love.” Well that’s all well and good, but sometimes to get where you really want to be in life, you have to kiss a few frogs — so to speak. Not every job will be your dream job. And many successful people will tell you they started at the bottom before working their way into a rewarding career they love. Don’t discredit certain job postings because they don’t meet all your criteria off the bat. Who knows where they could take you?

9. You’re using LinkedIn all wrong

LinkedIn founder Reid Hoffman confessed to Business Insider many of LinkedIn’s subscribers use the site all wrong. The networking platform is meant to create a closed network of meaningful connections. But in order for that circle to have any inherent value, every connection request received must be vetted.

Long gone are the days where we blindly accept everyone’s invitation to connect. Instead, we should determine whether we feel comfortable introducing that person to our own professional circle. And if the answer is no, don’t hesitate to decline the invitation.

When New York City employment attorney Lori B. Rassas wrote The Perpetual Paycheck: 5 Secrets to Getting a Job in 2015, I interviewed her for Next Avenue. Now, she’s back with an excellent new book specifically for older job seekers, with the provocative title: Over the Hill But Not the Cliff. So I rang her up again.

Here are highlights from our interview, with blunt advice for job seekers over 50:

Next Avenue:I have to start by asking you about the title. Why did you call the book ‘Over the Hill But Not the Cliff?’

Lori B. Rassas: The perception about older job applicants by some employers is that they get to a point in their career where they don’t want additional stress and they’re happy to coast until they retire. To undermine this, you need to show the employer: ‘I’m not done yet. I want to continue to learn and grow and move up.’ In the job interview, you should talk about things showing that you’re not at the top of the hill yet, you’re still climbing.

I think it exists and is prevalent. You should assume you’re going to face it. But a lot of times, I find the cover letters of these people are not so great or they’re applying for the wrong jobs. I look at ageism as one obstacle to getting a job, but it can be overcome.

In some sense, I think the pendulum is shifting a bit, with Millennials moving jobs so quickly. I get a sense that employers want stability and long-term commitments and they’re more likely to get that from older job candidates. So things are almost getting better for older candidates.

Some people go years without interviewing for a new job simply because they have been happy with their current employment. Others haven’t interviewed lately because they might have been self-employed. Whatever the reason, not interviewing for a job in quite some time can affect how you handle yourself in an interview. You want to make sure you do everything right and say the right things when interviewing for Big Sky jobs.

To get you headed in the right direction, we have compiled a list of 10 tips to help you prepare for your job interview:

Prepare Ahead of Time – One of the most important things you must do prior to a job interview is to prepare ahead of time. If you fail to prepare it will show in your answers and body language during the interview.

Put an Emphasis on Your Good Qualities – Make sure you emphasize your good qualities during the interview. There is nothing wrong with self-promotion during a job interview. In fact, it is the only way you will get across your qualities.

Ask Questions – Do not be afraid to ask questions. In fact, it is a vital part of the job interview. The interviewer should not be the only person asking questions during the job interview. When you ask questions it shows the interviewer how invested you are in the job and the company.